STS-114 Mission Update Thread (Part 3)

[llivinglarge]

If, god forbid, Discovery became unsafe for reentry. After the crew abandons the vehicle and is safe aboard the ISS, what would happen to the orbiter? Could the NASA attempt an unmanned reentry using the automated landing program?

 

[rocketwatcher2001]

Shuttle_Guy,<br /><br />Thanks for waiting until my family got back from Japan, I picked them up last night, my oldest was up at dawn, and I had to wake up my middle son at 9:30 for the walk down Rt. 405 to the river. <br /><br />It was a beautiful launch, you guys are the best! <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[rocketwatcher2001]

<font color="yellow">We have not done a OMS-1 burn is the last 80 launches or so.</font><br /><br />Unless I'm thinking about something else, There was an OMS burn during the first minute or two of flight in one of the missions in early 2001, that was one of my first questions on Space.Com and a guy named "skyjim" was going to get back with me about why that was the right time to do it, I figured that you'd get more bang for the buck if you waited until you were lighter, but that's why I fly 727's instead of Shuttles! <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[viper101]

Nasa......BIRD KILLERS! <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" />

 

[llivinglarge]

When does the leading edge data get downlinked?

 

[SpaceKiwi]

The Shuttle stack flies heads-down for reasons of aerodynamics, and also to help the crew with orientation in the case of an abort back to the planet I believe?<br /><br />However, from a debris point-of-view, wouldn't it make better sense to fly heads-up for as much of the journey as possible? Well, certainly in the lower parts of the atmosphere where gravity could potentially work to the Orbiter's favour in moving shed debris away from the TPS.<br /><br />Is there any value in looking at vehicle-orientation again, or is it basically optimised with respect to debris as much as is possible already? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em><font size="2" color="#ff0000">Who is this superhero?  Henry, the mild-mannered janitor ... could be!</font></em></p><p><em><font size="2">-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</font></em></p><p><font size="5">Bring Back The Black!</font></p> </div>

 

[sabby223]

"No animals are (officially) harmed by a Shuttle launch.... "<br /><br />Except for that bird that collided with the external tank 2.5 seconds after liftoff [SpaceFlightNow] <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> <br />

 

[shuttle2moon]

SG..Thanks for answering sooo many questions. You give a unique look inside. Any idea when they will start inspecting the tiles with the arm?

 

[nacnud]

No. The debris event happened just after SRB sep, SFN reported it in the T+33min update on its website.<br /><br />The time stamp was added by the posting software. I think it referes to the time of the post not the time of the debris event.<br /><br />Edit: where's my manners! Congratulations S_G fantastic to see the Shuttle flying again <img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" />

 

[marslauncher]

The shuttle Discovery, carrying seven astronauts, critical space station supplies and the hopes of a nation, roared into space today. Video and radar tracking of the launch has revealed a chipped tile near the ship's nose landing gear and a mysterious piece of debris shed from the external tank during the first two minutes of flight.<br /><br /><br />From SFN.com... <br /><br />Any news as to the implications of the Nose Tile chipping? I take it that as it is closest to the landing gear it is on the underside of the craft?<br /><br />

 

[nacnud]

There was a press conference just now, one tile is chipped showing the white substrate under the black top layer. The NASA people said to wait for the data analysis before getting any more but it doesn't look out too bad...<br />

 

[CalliArcale]

Hey, shuttle_guy! *tacklepouncehuggles* Way to go! You guys rocked as usual. <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /> Fantastic launch! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><font color="#666699"><em>"People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but actually from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint it's more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly . . . timey wimey . . . stuff."</em>  -- The Tenth Doctor, "Blink"</font></p> </div>

 

[marslauncher]

According to the latest update on SFN.com...<br /><br /><br />In one incident, part of a heat shield tile next to one of Discovery's nose landing gear doors - an area that experiences extreme heating during re-entry - apparently cracked under stress and broke away about a minute and five seconds after launch. One minute later, a relatively large piece of debris appeared to break away from the shuttle's external fuel tank, passing well beneath the right wing without striking the shuttle.

 

[robot_pilot]

>"You usually can't see S_G's console in the firing room shots" <br /> /><br /> />That is correct. we only get attention when there are problems then<br /> />the focus on us.... <br /><br />Same here - in the 1980's and 1990's they used to show our row of consoles at the HOSC (at MSFC) every now and then, when we would work problems... then in 1994 the camera disappeared. <img src="/images/icons/frown.gif" /><br /><br />Going on 40 hours without sleep, and 12 hours at my console... but well worth it! <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> Like s_g, I've got that adrenaline high (maybe it was all the caffeine? Twelve mountain Dews and a couple pots of coffee) and I don't know if I'll sleep tonght, or this week for that matter!

 

[nacnud]

Pictures to go with the SFN.com article. Poor bird... <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" />

 

[robot_pilot]

>"There was an OMS burn during the first minute or two of flight<br /> />in one of the missions in early 2001, that was one of my first<br /> />questions on Space.Com " <br /> /><br /> />I am sure that was not correct. We do burn the OMS and during<br /> />the ascent after SRB sep. However we Always do a direct insertion<br /> />now with no OMS-1 burn. <br /><br />Actually, the person who asked this question was correct - I'll have to look into it to see which missing it was (105? somewhere in that timeframe) but they did fire the OMS during mainstage "to give the shuttle an extra kick" as Rob Navias put it.<br /><br />We thought it was really weird too, but they needed the extra boost because the payload was extremely heavy. Can't remember what it was though. <br /><br />I could be wrong, though - I'll see if I can find it tomorrow.

 

[nacnud]

Heavy makes me think destiny, that was one of the heaviest payloads wasn't it, that plus the inclination. <br /><br />Edit: chandra was a beast as well...

 

[robot_pilot]

>However Ms. Collins reported the ascent was seen by all the<br /> />veterans on board as being the smoothest they have ever<br /> />experienced.<br /><br />Wasn't that something?? Even mainstage was smooth - pretty awesome. Congrats to you as well, s_g! One of these years I will get out to KSC to see a launch... I've supported so many over the years, and never seen one in person. And I probably never will if I stay in my current job... (so consider yourself envied!!)

 

[robotical]

Well done SG, RP, and NASA! This launch felt like the last obstacle before we could really start on the vision.<br /><br />I had just arrived at work several minutes before launch (I’m currently working in Los Alamos, NM) and was franticly trying to find a feed my Mac could support, no dice. I was about to try an audio when my boss wanted me to help her move some things, so I only got to read about it twenty minutes after launch. <img src="/images/icons/frown.gif" /><br /><br />Again, congratulations! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[holmec]

OH MY GOODNESS.<br /><br />I found myself scrutinizing the launch as it launched. Looking for any anomoly, then I had to go to work.<br /><br />My wife recorded the launch, and now I just saw the rest. What a view form that camera on the tank!!!!<br /><br />WOW. No special effects could match. I was surprised to see so much what appeared to be gasses around the wings of the orbiter as the main engines cut off and the jettison of the main tank.<br /><br />Congrats NASA. Kudos Shuttle_guy <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><font color="#0000ff"><em>"SCE to AUX" - John Aaron, curiosity pays off</em></font></p> </div>

 

[robot_pilot]

>Pictures to go with the SFN.com article. Poor bird...<br /><br />Oh, wow - I heard someone talking about that earlier, but I didn't think they were SERIOUS! Wow.<br /><br />First the woodpeckers, now this...

 

[robotical]

Better watch your back for PETA trying to ban launches do to the threat they pose to birds! <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[SpaceKiwi]

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p>"...Was it just me, or did those SRBs seem 'hotter' than usual?..." <br /><br />No, I thought the same thing. Very rough burning too. <br /><br />What was the ambient air temperature at launch?<p><hr /></p></p></blockquote><br /><br />I'm really glad you guys said something about this. I was going to last night, but didn't want to appear more foolish than usual. <br /><br />I think the exhaust plumes appear to 'flare' out as the air density gets lower, but I was really starting to get a bit nervous on the SRB's just prior to Sep and burnout. They looked to be burning a lot 'redder' than I remembered previously, and I had a queazy feeling in my stomach that flame was going to engulf the SRB's any second.<br /><br />I dismissed this for the reasons stated above, and because this is the first time I have watched a launch on a TV set rather than in a small Windows Media Player box. However, it was very un-nerving to watch. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em><font size="2" color="#ff0000">Who is this superhero?  Henry, the mild-mannered janitor ... could be!</font></em></p><p><em><font size="2">-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</font></em></p><p><font size="5">Bring Back The Black!</font></p> </div>

 

[robot_pilot]

>Heavy makes me think destiny, that was one of the heaviest<br /> />payloads wasn't it, that plus the inclination. <br /> /><br /> />Edit: chandra was a beast as well...<br /><br />Ahh, I think that might have been it... sounds familiar. I do think that shuttle_guy was right about the OMS not being needed any other time, although I had wondered about STS-93 (where the ECOs tripped dry and we had an early cutoff). My dept doesn't deal with OMS so we don't really know when those are performed... but I'm sure I remember the comments about them being used during liftoff, we thought it was really odd until the explanation was given about needing the extra thrust, because the payload (Chandra?) was so heavy.<br /><br />Good memory, nacnud - I'll post tomorrow if I can find out for certain.

 

[robot_pilot]

>"they did fire the OMS during mainstage "to give the shuttle an<br /> />extra kick" as Rob Navias put it." <br /> /><br /> />We do that every flight now, but the poster was talking about a<br /> />OMS-1 burn which we deleted when we started doing direct<br /> />insertions. (no OMS-1 burn) <br /><br />Every flight? I didn't know that... well then nevermind. <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /><br />